EPL 2015-16 Season

[Uncle Si]

I'm in...

I think Spurs bottle it. They have to win out to ensure a sniff of it, and West Brom are dangerous on the road. (I mean they aren't, it's West Brom.)

I'll take Spurs too (play far too open with a 1-0 lead and concede an equalizer) .

The big games are next week. Leicester visit United (with a chance to end it), Spurs visit Chelsea. If Spurs can gain two points by the end of the next weekend, their is a chance for them.

United still with a shot at 4th. Arsenal doing their annual. City waiting on Klopp and Liverpool trying to back door their way into the Champs league.

Even the relegation battle between Sunderland, Norwich and Newcastle has some spark.

Been a great year.

 

[Hawkspur]

Spurs were pony in the 2nd half. Fun season though. So Spursy to finally be good enough to win it all and lose out to.... Leicester City. Can't say it's underserved. Leicester has certainly done the business this season.

As for Chelsea ruining a season for you: Chelsea beating Bayern Munich on penalties in the CL final to take Spurs' place in the following CL is one of the 3 times sports has made me feel physically ill (2014 Superbowl and the All Blacks' 2003 Rugby World Cup semi final loss to an Australia team we'd humped in the 3 previous matches being the others).

 

[SomersetHawk]

Spurs were pony in the 2nd half. Fun season though. So Spursy to finally be good enough to win it all and lose out to.... Leicester City. Can't say it's underserved. Leicester has certainly done the business this season.

As for Chelsea ruining a season for you: Chelsea beating Bayern Munich on penalties in the CL final to take Spurs' place in the following CL is one of the 3 times sports has made me feel physically ill (2014 Superbowl and the All Blacks' 2003 Rugby World Cup semi final loss to an Australia team we'd humped in the 3 previous matches being the others).

I think you're more likely to mount a challenge next season. Early pick would be for you to fight it out with Liverpool. Not sure Arsenal are in a position to mount a serious challenge, City under Pep will be interesting but he'll surely need some sort of transition period and whilst I expect Man United to be better next year they're going to need some big additions to catch up with the rest.

 

[SeatownJay]

Not sure if this is the right thread or not, but all I can say is it's about friggen time.

[tweet]https://twitter.com/AP/status/724905481249128450[/tweet]

 

[Uncle Si]

Spurs were pony in the 2nd half. Fun season though. So Spursy to finally be good enough to win it all and lose out to.... Leicester City. Can't say it's underserved. Leicester has certainly done the business this season.

As for Chelsea ruining a season for you: Chelsea beating Bayern Munich on penalties in the CL final to take Spurs' place in the following CL is one of the 3 times sports has made me feel physically ill (2014 Superbowl and the All Blacks' 2003 Rugby World Cup semi final loss to an Australia team we'd humped in the 3 previous matches being the others).

I think you're more likely to mount a challenge next season. Early pick would be for you to fight it out with Liverpool. Not sure Arsenal are in a position to mount a serious challenge, City under Pep will be interesting but he'll surely need some sort of transition period and whilst I expect Man United to be better next year they're going to need some big additions to catch up with the rest.

I agree here. Although not sure Liverpool with their current Lineup are more than top 4 challengers next year. A couple good signings and maybe.

I like this Spurs team. Good quality, good coach and they are in a position to add some real quality improvements to replace or support players like Lamela or even Ericksen. They could see themselves title favorites to start the season.

 

[Blueboy]

Not been on this thread for a while, I mean would you after the run Palace have been on! That all changed Sunday though, great win and an FA Cup final! Better times ahead I hope.

Also in an unrelated thing, pleased the 96 got some justice today and I hope the authorities get there just deserts.

 

[Uncle Si]

Found this an interesting read:

http://screamer.deadspin.com/the-best-team-in-england-will-not-win-the-premier-leagu-1772995043

Not to disparage Spurs in any way, but its remarkable that as good as Leicester have been, they still aren't seen as anything more than an anomaly.

Since being 20th at the end of March, 2015, Leicester has earned more points than any other PL team, winning 7 of their last 9 league games to escape relegation, and by 18 points (number may have changed a bit over the last couple matches) more than the second closest over the same period.

That's remarkable. That would be remarkable had Man City, Chelsea or Arsenal done it. This is Leicester...]

So what is it? Ranieri? Mahrez/Vardy/Schmeichel/Kante? the lack of strength in the PL? the complete lack of tactical acumen (or just sheer arrogance) of PL coaches?

Or is maybe this Leicester squad just the right mix at the right time?

 

[SomersetHawk]

Found this an interesting read:

http://screamer.deadspin.com/the-best-team-in-england-will-not-win-the-premier-leagu-1772995043

Not to disparage Spurs in any way, but its remarkable that as good as Leicester have been, they still aren't seen as anything more than an anomaly.

Since being 20th at the end of March, 2015, Leicester has earned more points than any other PL team, winning 7 of their last 9 league games to escape relegation, and by 18 points (number may have changed a bit over the last couple matches) more than the second closest over the same period.

That's remarkable. That would be remarkable had Man City, Chelsea or Arsenal done it. This is Leicester...]

So what is it? Ranieri? Mahrez/Vardy/Schmeichel/Kante? the lack of strength in the PL? the complete lack of tactical acumen (or just sheer arrogance) of PL coaches?

Or is maybe this Leicester squad just the right mix at the right time?

Essentially, nobody matches Leicester's intensity, their passing statistics are horrible, they don't keep possession very well, but their defensive work is excellent and they can counter. Kante has the greatest engine of any player I've ever seen on a football pitch and has ammassed more tackles than anyone in football this season, he's a machine.

They also train less and lighter than any other team in the League. I'm not saying that's the right way to do it, Spurs are rumoured to have the most intensive training in the league and it's served them well, it's just that Leicester obviously put everything out there on match day.

It's fascinating really that the two best teams in the league this season are polar opposites in almost every aspect of their play, from their training philosophy to their playing styles.

 

[SeatownJay]

So, Dele Alli sucker punched one of the WBA players in the stomach yesterday and is facing a ban for the final three matches.

http://www.espnfc.com/tottenham-hotspur ... acob-punch

 

[NJSeahawk]

So, Dele Alli sucker punched one of the WBA players in the stomach yesterday and is facing a ban for the final three matches.

http://www.espnfc.com/tottenham-hotspur ... acob-punch

Ouch, big loss for Spurs if he's banned.

Chelsea must destroy their dreams, even if it's just the final nail in their coffin.

 

[Uncle Si]

Whatever they rolled out against City on the weekend isn't destroying anything.

Fairly certain my 11 academy team could have held them scoreless.

 

[SeatownJay]

It's official, Leicester City are the most improbable Premier League champions in history.

 

[London12]

Just so ridiculous. Nothing like it.

 

[SomersetHawk]

Just so ridiculous. Nothing like it.

Yep. One of the single greatest achievements in sports. People who didn't grow up in the UK or Europe probably won't get it, but the fact that a team who was in the third tier of English football in 2009 just won the league is simply ridiculous. I remember when Yeovil Town worked their way up from the conference to the Championship in the space of just a few years, and feeling like that was quite an accomplishment, but it doesn't compare to this. Finding it difficult to put into context for our American readers.

I guess it'd be a bit like the Cleveland Browns winning the Super Bowl next season, though I'm not even sure that does the achievement justice.

 

[SeatownJay]

Just so ridiculous. Nothing like it.

Yep. One of the single greatest achievements in sports. People who didn't grow up in the UK or Europe probably won't get it, but the fact that a team who was in the third tier of English football in 2009 just won the league is simply ridiculous. I remember when Yeovil Town worked their way up from the conference to the Championship in the space of just a few years, and feeling like that was quite an accomplishment, but it doesn't compare to this. Finding it difficult to put into context for our American readers.

I guess it'd be a bit like the Cleveland Browns winning the Super Bowl next season, though I'm not even sure that does the achievement justice.

I would liken it to New Mexico winning the FBS National Championship.

 

[Uncle Si]

What a story. What a season.

Peaches explains it well. There is nothing in sports that can compare to its improbability given then disparity in finances, tradition of the league and, above all else really, the length of the season itself.

But this is no fluke. Leicester has been playing this type of soccer since the onset of April last year, and have been a far better, more consistent team than any of the others over 12 months.

Great story... but no "miracle." A perfect blend of intelligence, camaraderie, teamwork, shrewdness, and of course the luck that any champions can get at times.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

Mike and Mike were talking about this yesterday, said Leicester was a 5,000 to 1 odds to win the EPL before the season started.

That's the equivalent of Cal Poly winning the college football national championship. Not Cal as in Pac 12 Cal, the Cal Poly Mustangs of the Big Sky Conference. Insane.

They're going to make a movie about this, I can guarantee it. It's that big.

 

[NJSeahawk]

Great..Now Chelsea decides to start winning. :34853_doh:

Congrats are in order though..."It was written in the stars"...

 

[Uncle Si]

What a story. What a season.

Peaches explains it well. There is nothing in sports that can compare to its improbability given then disparity in finances, tradition of the league and, above all else really, the length of the season itself.

But this is no fluke. Leicester has been playing this type of soccer since the onset of April last year, and have been a far better, more consistent team than any of the others over 12 months.

Great story... but no "miracle." A perfect blend of intelligence, camaraderie, teamwork, shrewdness, and of course the luck that any champions can get at times.

Of course it's not a fluke, but that doesn't stop it from being a miracle. It's completely improbable. Leicester playing well consistently isn't the story here, nor is the inability of the traditional powers to topple them, it's the fact that, over 38 games, a team that seemed destined for relegation continually defied the odds to become champions. This isn't some poxy 64-team knockout tournament where a small team can suddenly get hot and take advantage of some favorable matchups, that's why a 38-game season produces a worthy champion, because you have enough games for regression towards the mean to occur and the best team will invariably rise to the top. Leicester were that team this year.

Probably saying the same thing here...

But we hear "miracle" and we assign it to those one-off magic games like the 1980 Olympics, etc. As we both said, the 38 game season and their ability to not only win the league but remain on top with all the pressures that come with it for so long is simply fascinating.

In no match outside their thrashing at the hands of Arsenal before Christmas did Leicester look anything less than a top 4 team. Their record against the traditional elite was stellar, but they also readily managed the pitfalls of contrasting styles. As things wore on they became the team with the majority of possession, outside their comfort zone, and still managed critical points at moments when other teams were flailing.

 

[Uncle Si]

Here's as good a thread as any, I suppose. Liverpool were absolutely massive tonight. Completely swarmed Villarreal and took control of the game from start to finish. Emre Can makes a world of difference to that team. Same with Lallana and Firmino playing more of a support role. Sturridge was excellent, but it's become pretty clear that he's not what Klopp wants, which is a shame as he's prolific as ever.

Onto the final then. I don't expect Liverpool to give much of a shit in these last few league matches, not a lot to play for except pride and momentum, I suppose. On the face of it, Liverpool match up well against Sevilla, and if the Lovren/Kolo partnership can hold up, then we should be able to frustrate them and score. Origi being healthy for that one would be huge. Maybe Ings, too? Anyway, onto Basel. We go again.

Absolutely.

Was very impressed with the energy given by Liverpool last night.